Chandigarh, February 9
The principal of DAV College, Sector 10, Mr S. Marriya, today stated that he had great respect for the permanent faculty, the “backbone of any institution.”

Principal Marriya had stated during the PU Senate held on February 5 that permanent teachers in colleges did not perform as well as teachers on contract. However, following an agitation by the DAV college permanent teaching staff, Mr Marriya today clarified that this statement was made in the context of employing permanent staff for self-finance courses.

“I had said that appointing permanent faculty for these courses may not be possible as these courses keep changing,” he said.

Teachers of the college have been resorting to angry demonstrations since February 6 and demanding apology from the principal for his statement.

Chandigarh, February 8
It’s that time of the year when medicos let their hair down and participate in unadulterated fun. Euphoria 2006, the biggest event of its kind, hosted by students of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, kicks off on February 11 and promises to be more exciting than the previous years.

Addressing a press conference, here today, the Director Principal, GMCH, Prof H.M. Swami, said students of as many as 75 medical institutions had been invited to participate in the event.

“We have invited three colleges of Lahore as well to participate in the show. Though we have received no confirmation so far, we are hoping they will be able to make it,” Prof A.K. Janmeja, co-ordinator of the fest said.

Designed to have everything from sports, music, dance, art to fashion and literary activities, Euphoria — 2006, this year has come loaded with a fashion show, an all-India tennis tournament and the student organisers have even made a website for the show.

“We have done everything from gathering sponsorship to finalising the four-day schedule that promises to be a whole lot of fun for the participants as well as the audience. We are expecting over 2,500 students from the regional colleges,” Amit Bansal, Divleen Singh and Saurabh Uppal, all student organisers of the show, said.

The organisers said the entire show would cost them over Rs 6 lakh which had been collected by way of sponsorship and would be one of its kind for medicos of the region. “We are expecting tremendous response. For the “star nite” too we will have Amrinder Gill and Sarbjit Cheema to perform for us,” they stated.

While a number of activities will go on simultaneously, the last day will have a programme titled “Cupid Let Loose — Made for each other” in tune with Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Chandigarh, February 9
The annual inter-tutorial declamation contest was held today at SD College, Sector 32. Students spoke on topics that have already been discussed in the monthly general tutorials, which are conducted annually throughout the session.

Aanchal Sharma was adjudged the winner, while Upasana and Era Vaidya bagged the second and third positions, respectively. Consolation prizes were awarded to Tarun Sethi and Manish Sharma.

Chandigarh, February 9
All is set for the annual technical-cum-cultural festival PECFEST-06 that begins at PEC tomorrow. The Home Secretary, Mr Krishan Mohan, will be the chief guest and the board of governors would be the guests of honour.

Think India Think, Fiesta, which is a series of exciting and daring 1 minute games, will be held on the Fun Stage in the main grounds later. This would be followed by Treasure Hunt. Eclectica, a paper presentation contest, and Apprentice, a test for entrepreneurs, would be held.

Chandigarh, February 9
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I, Chandigarh, has held Messrs Hyundai Motors India Limited guilty of selling a new Santro car with a defective engine to a Panchkula doctor, Dr Manoj Mala.

The Forum has directed the auto company to replace the defective engine with a new and complete factory-sealed engine and fit the same at its own cost with renewal
warranty. The complainant has also been given Rs 50,000 as compensation and Rs 2,100 as costs of litigation.

Dr Mala, in his complaint, alleged that she had bought a new Santro car from Messrs Charisma Goldwheels Ltd, Chandigarh, February 11, 2004. It was alleged that the car engine was giving abnormal voice and excess smoke. On inspection, one oil seal was found leaking.

The problems continued even after servicing. Thereafter, the dealer asked the consumer to bring the vehicle for repairs on July 1, 2004, and asked for seven days to repair. This showed that there was a major manufacturing defect in the engine, and therefore the complainant demanded replacement of the car, which was denied by the company.

In reply to the complaint, the auto company said that the engine had been damaged due to use of adulterated fuel by the complainant, which is a common problem in vehicles plying in Panchkula, and there was no manufacturing defect.

The complainant also submitted affidavits of two auto engineers who said that the car had a manufacturing defect. During the pendency of the complaint, the Hyundai engineer inspected the vehicle and observed abnormal engine noise and certain other defects, which could not be removed without dismantling the engine.

Headed by Mr. N.S. Ahlawat, the Forum observed that the company and the dealer never got the fuel examined on any of the occasions when the car was taken to their workshop. Thus they have failed to prove that the defects have occurred due to use of adulterated fuel. It was also observed that the proposed dismantling of the engine of the new car would render the vehicle like giving a second hand vehicle to the customer.

Chandigarh, February 9
The Kashmir-based theatre group ‘Navrattan Natsar’, having staged over one hundred plays in the valley made their maiden presentation of a comedy play ‘ ‘Under Secretary’ today at Tagore Theatre. The popular comedy play from the noted playwright Romesh Mehta delighted the receptive audience with crisp comedy spells. The director, Dilbar Bhart Bhushan, himself acted in the play.

The comedy arose out of the feeling of sheer superiority complex of two women who project their husbands as Deputy Director and Under Secretary. Though both husbands belong to mediocre families and work as clerks. Each woman tries to outsmart the other in order to safe guard the false prestige and contemplates to conceal the real position.

Portraying the couples were Ms Anmol Bharat and Gaurav Sharma and substitute husband was potrayed by Harish Verma, Ms Madhubala and Rajinder Sharma were the other couple besides drishty Choudhry, S.L. Gigoo and Dilbar Bharat played their roles with perfection.

The International Punjabi Trust, Canada, and the Adakar Manch, Mohali, will stage a Punajbi play “Shobha Shakti” at the same venue and time tomorrow.